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She Doesn't Have a Clue
With a colorful cast of characters and a cellar full of wine, anything can happen―from murder to a second chance at love―in Jenny Elder Moke's half mystery, half romance adult debut set at a lavish destination wedding.
A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it’s more like a nightmare.
Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift. But when the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hotstralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.
As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have a clue.
A high-end wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle sounds like something out of a magazine. But for bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine, it’s more like a nightmare.
Why Kate agreed to attend her ex-fiancé’s wedding is its own enigma, but she’ll plaster on a fake smile for two nights, with the aid of free champagne, naturally. And because the groom happens to be her editor, she’ll try to finish a draft of her latest Loretta Starling mystery as a wedding gift. But when the bride is poisoned and Kate stumbles across a dead body, she finds herself in a real-life mystery that eerily echoes the plot of her latest novel. And the only person who seems willing to help Kate catch the killer is Jake Hawkins, aka: the Hotstralian; aka: Kate’s biggest romantic regret.
As the wine flows and the weather threatens to hold every guest hostage, bitter resentments and long-held grudges surface amongst the colorful crowd. Anyone could be capable of murder, it seems. What would Loretta do? Unfortunately, Kate doesn’t have a clue.
336 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2025
204 people are currently reading
50918 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Elder Moke
8 books550 followersJenny Elder Moke is the award-winning author of children's and adult literature. She enjoys fast-paced adventures with plenty of mysteries, surprising turns, and laughs along the way. CROSS YOUR HEART AND HOPE HE DIES, a mystery rom-com mash-up, available January 20, 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,102 reviews
February 19, 2025
3.5⭐
Genre ~ mystery romance
Setting ~ private island off the coast of Seattle
Publication date ~ January 21, 2025
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 336 (p+ 42 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 24 minutes
Narrator ~ Sarah Mollo-Christensen
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ locked room (island), forced proximity, murder mystery, slow burn, minimal steamage
Kate is off to her ex-fiance's wedding when she runs into her crush Jake, literally slams right into him as she makes a running leap onto the boat before it leaves the dock. Bet that would have been a hoot to see ~ I know, I’m awful.
Kate is a bestselling author of murder mysteries with the main character named Loretta. When certain things starting happening that resonate with her books the fingers are pointed at her. Loretta's name pops up quite often and it took a hot minute to realize Kate was pretending to be in Loretta's head in order to solve the mystery. She and Jake work to clear her name, and that's not the only thing they work on, wink wink.
There are quite a few unlikable suspects and a lot going on, but I enjoyed the sleuthing and secret passages found along the way.
Overall, this was a fun time with some pretty good banter, too.
Narration notes:
Top notch job! She really did all of the different character voices flawlessly. She even did a nice Australian accent for a man.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ mystery romance
Setting ~ private island off the coast of Seattle
Publication date ~ January 21, 2025
Publisher ~ Macmillan Audio
Est Page Count ~ 336 (p+ 42 chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 10 hours 24 minutes
Narrator ~ Sarah Mollo-Christensen
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ locked room (island), forced proximity, murder mystery, slow burn, minimal steamage
Kate is off to her ex-fiance's wedding when she runs into her crush Jake, literally slams right into him as she makes a running leap onto the boat before it leaves the dock. Bet that would have been a hoot to see ~ I know, I’m awful.
Kate is a bestselling author of murder mysteries with the main character named Loretta. When certain things starting happening that resonate with her books the fingers are pointed at her. Loretta's name pops up quite often and it took a hot minute to realize Kate was pretending to be in Loretta's head in order to solve the mystery. She and Jake work to clear her name, and that's not the only thing they work on, wink wink.
There are quite a few unlikable suspects and a lot going on, but I enjoyed the sleuthing and secret passages found along the way.
Overall, this was a fun time with some pretty good banter, too.
Narration notes:
Top notch job! She really did all of the different character voices flawlessly. She even did a nice Australian accent for a man.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
December 28, 2025
This is an entertaining, well-written, murder mystery novel. It has a likable female protagonist, an engaging male protagonist, an interesting cast of secondary characters, wit, humor, romance, a vividly described setting, and a satisfying conclusion. Many thanks to St. Martin's Press/Minotaur books, NetGalley, and Ms. Jenny Elder Moke, from whom I received an advanced reader copy of this fantastic novel. This is my honest opinion.
January 11, 2025
3 stars! 💫 Huge thanks to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley for the ARC! 💖
Okay, so here’s the scoop! This book sounded like it had all the right elements for a gripping mystery—isolated private island? Check. Wedding drama? Check. Ex-fiancé drama? Check! Dead body? YES, PLEASE! But... while it started with so much potential, it ended up being more of a cozy mystery/romcom than the heart-pounding thriller I was craving. 😅
Kate Valentine, our main gal, is a bestselling mystery author who ends up at her ex-fiancé's wedding (awkward, much?!). Add in a dead body, an ex-crush (hello, Jake 👀), and plenty of wine, and we’re in full-on whodunit mode. But here's the thing... the execution? Kinda slow 🕵️♀️🔍. I was ready for suspense and twists, but it was more like a lighthearted romp.
The mystery itself was fun, but it lacked that “OMG, who did it?!” tension that keeps you up all night. Instead, it felt more like a Hallmark movie set on a private island—quirky, playful, and light. 🏝️❤️ I wanted more suspense, but it never quite delivered that rush I was looking for.
What did work for me? The humor, the banter, and the sizzling chemistry between Kate and Jake (the Aussie ex-crush? 😏 chef’s kiss). There was so much back-and-forth that it almost felt like I was in a love triangle with dead bodies mixed in. 🙈
It’s a cute, cozy mystery with a dash of romance, but it just didn’t have the depth I was hoping for. Still, if you’re into breezy reads with more humor and less blood-pumping suspense, this could be your thing!
It was fun, but I’m not sure it’ll stick with me long-term. Others might totally love it though, so definitely check out their reviews too! 💖
Okay, so here’s the scoop! This book sounded like it had all the right elements for a gripping mystery—isolated private island? Check. Wedding drama? Check. Ex-fiancé drama? Check! Dead body? YES, PLEASE! But... while it started with so much potential, it ended up being more of a cozy mystery/romcom than the heart-pounding thriller I was craving. 😅
Kate Valentine, our main gal, is a bestselling mystery author who ends up at her ex-fiancé's wedding (awkward, much?!). Add in a dead body, an ex-crush (hello, Jake 👀), and plenty of wine, and we’re in full-on whodunit mode. But here's the thing... the execution? Kinda slow 🕵️♀️🔍. I was ready for suspense and twists, but it was more like a lighthearted romp.
The mystery itself was fun, but it lacked that “OMG, who did it?!” tension that keeps you up all night. Instead, it felt more like a Hallmark movie set on a private island—quirky, playful, and light. 🏝️❤️ I wanted more suspense, but it never quite delivered that rush I was looking for.
What did work for me? The humor, the banter, and the sizzling chemistry between Kate and Jake (the Aussie ex-crush? 😏 chef’s kiss). There was so much back-and-forth that it almost felt like I was in a love triangle with dead bodies mixed in. 🙈
It’s a cute, cozy mystery with a dash of romance, but it just didn’t have the depth I was hoping for. Still, if you’re into breezy reads with more humor and less blood-pumping suspense, this could be your thing!
It was fun, but I’m not sure it’ll stick with me long-term. Others might totally love it though, so definitely check out their reviews too! 💖
December 29, 2024
A destination wedding on a private island off Seattle sounds like bliss, doesn't it? But it turns out to be nightmare for author, Kate Valentine. Going into the wedding, Kate knew things would be 'interesting' as the groom is her ex-fiancé who is also her editor. There is nothing like mixing business with pleasure. Making things even more 'interesting' is Jake Hawkins, the one who got away and is her biggest regret. Making things worse is that she and Jake must share a room. Then Kate finds a dead body........
Part mystery, part romance, and part trapped room, She Doesn't Have a Clue was a cozy book/whodunit. Kate writes mystery novels and uses her skills to attempt to solve the mystery in this book.
I was hoping to enjoy this book much more than I did. This book moved a little too slow for my taste. While I enjoyed the mystery, I wanted a little more tension, dread, danger, and suspense. I never got the feeling that any of the characters in this book were too moved or freaked out by what was happening around them.
While I enjoyed this book, I doubt I will remember it in months to come. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Part mystery, part romance, and part trapped room, She Doesn't Have a Clue was a cozy book/whodunit. Kate writes mystery novels and uses her skills to attempt to solve the mystery in this book.
I was hoping to enjoy this book much more than I did. This book moved a little too slow for my taste. While I enjoyed the mystery, I wanted a little more tension, dread, danger, and suspense. I never got the feeling that any of the characters in this book were too moved or freaked out by what was happening around them.
While I enjoyed this book, I doubt I will remember it in months to come. Others are enjoying this book more than I did, so please read their reviews as well.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
August 17, 2024
Wowza! This locked-room mystery meets highly entertaining romcom promises extra fun and adventure, with sizzling chemistry between characters, delightful clumsiness, and the investigative skills of a heroine who happens to be a bestselling crime thriller author. She’s also a globetrotting, adrenaline-seeking ex-surfer from Australia—a real “Hotstralian” (think a Hemsworth brother, but hotter)! Oh, and there’s a love triangle, along with a murder mystery set on a historic private island estate. Throw in some Succession-style family scheming, backstabbing, and inheritance-grabbing, and you’ve got a story that's irresistibly intriguing and captivating.
I certainly couldn’t resist—I dove right in! The plot is incredibly promising. And even though there’s a murder on the estate, the story remains lighthearted, thanks to the goofy heroine and her vivid imagination, which allows her to see things through the eyes of her famous detective character, Loretta Starling.
Here’s a quick recap of the riveting plot: Bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine has no intention of attending her editor (and ex-boyfriend)'s wedding to the niece of the “Bitch Bull of Wall Street,” Rebecca Hempstead. But when she receives a special invitation from Rebecca herself, she's intrigued. How can she resist an exclusive event with only a handful of important guests, free champagne, and the chance to experience the historical estate’s many luxuries? Kate figures she can plaster on a smile and get through the festivities—but two things catch her off guard: First, her longtime crush, adventurer Jake Hawkins, is mistakenly invited as her plus-one, which means they’ll have to share a room and confront unresolved feelings. (Thank you, forced-proximity trope!) Second, the lovely bride, Kennedy, is poisoned in a manner eerily similar to a murder in one of Kate's novels, making Kate the prime suspect.
As if that’s not enough, Rebecca's inheritance plans are causing chaos among her relatives, and an ex-lover, now a drunk, is hurling threats and seeking revenge. Add to that a rebellious author leading a small protest against the latest PR policies at Simon Says Publishing (where the bride and groom hold high positions). With everyone seemingly scheming behind closed doors, it becomes clear that everyone has a motive. Determined not to be framed for murder, Kate channels her inner detective, thinking like her character Loretta to solve the mystery—with a little help from her Hotstralian Jake, who seems to be enjoying their fake dating as the wedding festivities continue. Sparks are flying, but danger is lurking—there’s a killer on the loose, and Kate must catch them before it’s too late. The only problem? She doesn’t have a clue!
Overall: This is a highly entertaining, well-developed murder mystery romcom, and it looks like Charlie and Juliette will be the leading characters in the second book—which I’m eagerly looking forward to reading!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this riveting page-turner in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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I certainly couldn’t resist—I dove right in! The plot is incredibly promising. And even though there’s a murder on the estate, the story remains lighthearted, thanks to the goofy heroine and her vivid imagination, which allows her to see things through the eyes of her famous detective character, Loretta Starling.
Here’s a quick recap of the riveting plot: Bestselling mystery author Kate Valentine has no intention of attending her editor (and ex-boyfriend)'s wedding to the niece of the “Bitch Bull of Wall Street,” Rebecca Hempstead. But when she receives a special invitation from Rebecca herself, she's intrigued. How can she resist an exclusive event with only a handful of important guests, free champagne, and the chance to experience the historical estate’s many luxuries? Kate figures she can plaster on a smile and get through the festivities—but two things catch her off guard: First, her longtime crush, adventurer Jake Hawkins, is mistakenly invited as her plus-one, which means they’ll have to share a room and confront unresolved feelings. (Thank you, forced-proximity trope!) Second, the lovely bride, Kennedy, is poisoned in a manner eerily similar to a murder in one of Kate's novels, making Kate the prime suspect.
As if that’s not enough, Rebecca's inheritance plans are causing chaos among her relatives, and an ex-lover, now a drunk, is hurling threats and seeking revenge. Add to that a rebellious author leading a small protest against the latest PR policies at Simon Says Publishing (where the bride and groom hold high positions). With everyone seemingly scheming behind closed doors, it becomes clear that everyone has a motive. Determined not to be framed for murder, Kate channels her inner detective, thinking like her character Loretta to solve the mystery—with a little help from her Hotstralian Jake, who seems to be enjoying their fake dating as the wedding festivities continue. Sparks are flying, but danger is lurking—there’s a killer on the loose, and Kate must catch them before it’s too late. The only problem? She doesn’t have a clue!
Overall: This is a highly entertaining, well-developed murder mystery romcom, and it looks like Charlie and Juliette will be the leading characters in the second book—which I’m eagerly looking forward to reading!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for providing this riveting page-turner in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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January 25, 2025
Okay wait I really liked this!! It was a slightly campy blend of cozy mystery and romance. I’d definitely read more from the author and I hope this is the beginning of a series! And the hero kinda gave himbo???
Not to sound elitist but sometimes romances in cozy mysteries can feel surface level or cheesy…but the one here felt like it was written by someone who understands the romance genre. There was a legit sex scene too, and it was hot!
The narrator was great and in my opinion really nailed the Aussie accent?? But also I’m very Minnesotan so who’s to say.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️/5
I received a free audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.
Not to sound elitist but sometimes romances in cozy mysteries can feel surface level or cheesy…but the one here felt like it was written by someone who understands the romance genre. There was a legit sex scene too, and it was hot!
The narrator was great and in my opinion really nailed the Aussie accent?? But also I’m very Minnesotan so who’s to say.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️/5
I received a free audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All opinions are honest and my own.
September 15, 2024
3.5 STARS
When it comes to a traditional murder mystery, certain aspects are almost required. Let’s see how we do.
Spooky mansion – check
Stormy nights – check
Family inheritance drama – check
Ex-lovers drama – check
Dysfunctional family – check
Smoking hot wanna-be flame – check
Somewhat weird, super-focused sleuth – check
This book perfectly lays out a good traditional theme set up and bones of an old-style murder mystery. It is wacky and loaded with twists as everyone becomes a suspect.
The author managed to include so many characters that you truly have to wade through everything to figure out who is suspect and who is just there muddying the waters. As for our super sleuth, she is a writer who keeps bouncing back into books she has written for help, somewhat reminiscent of a Jessica Fletcher wanna-be.
What sets this main character apart is this one is much younger and we are treated to a lovely second-chance romance through it all too. I have to say Jake makes this book for me. Sexy and nursing a tender heart.
She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a wild story but parts of it got to be too much for me with all chasing the who-dun-it scenarios. For true lovers of this trope, it is a perfect choice. Weird, wild, humorous, witty, steamy. What’s not to love?
Moke delivers the goods with this story, but unfortunately, it is not my style.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/she-doesnt-h...
When it comes to a traditional murder mystery, certain aspects are almost required. Let’s see how we do.
Spooky mansion – check
Stormy nights – check
Family inheritance drama – check
Ex-lovers drama – check
Dysfunctional family – check
Smoking hot wanna-be flame – check
Somewhat weird, super-focused sleuth – check
This book perfectly lays out a good traditional theme set up and bones of an old-style murder mystery. It is wacky and loaded with twists as everyone becomes a suspect.
The author managed to include so many characters that you truly have to wade through everything to figure out who is suspect and who is just there muddying the waters. As for our super sleuth, she is a writer who keeps bouncing back into books she has written for help, somewhat reminiscent of a Jessica Fletcher wanna-be.
What sets this main character apart is this one is much younger and we are treated to a lovely second-chance romance through it all too. I have to say Jake makes this book for me. Sexy and nursing a tender heart.
She Doesn’t Have a Clue is a wild story but parts of it got to be too much for me with all chasing the who-dun-it scenarios. For true lovers of this trope, it is a perfect choice. Weird, wild, humorous, witty, steamy. What’s not to love?
Moke delivers the goods with this story, but unfortunately, it is not my style.
~~~
* I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/she-doesnt-h...
February 2, 2025
She Doesn’t Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke
Romantic mystery.
Kate Valentine is a mystery writer of the famous Loretta Starling series. Kate has a habit of putting herself in imagined Loretta’s shoes and asking “what would Loretta do?” Unfortunately Loretta isn’t talking to Kate these days and her current book is way past deadline. When her editor invites Kate to an exclusive private island for his wedding, she can’t really refuse even though he is also her ex-finance.
Kate jumps on the last boat to the island and finds her biggest romantic regret, Jake Hawkins. Somehow he’s going to the wedding as her plus one.
A huge storm threatens the island, and a string of strange occurrences mimicking Loretta’s last case, have Jake and Kate questioning everything. Can she help solve a real life mystery or is her skill only make believe?
Poor Kate is so out of her depth. But she tries hard and means well.
A locked room, murder mystery romcom. Entertaining in its strange half clues and piecemeal reveals, as Jake professes his love and Kate is still thinking, WWLD.
Started and ended well. I needed a little perking up on the middle.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
3.5
Romantic mystery.
Kate Valentine is a mystery writer of the famous Loretta Starling series. Kate has a habit of putting herself in imagined Loretta’s shoes and asking “what would Loretta do?” Unfortunately Loretta isn’t talking to Kate these days and her current book is way past deadline. When her editor invites Kate to an exclusive private island for his wedding, she can’t really refuse even though he is also her ex-finance.
Kate jumps on the last boat to the island and finds her biggest romantic regret, Jake Hawkins. Somehow he’s going to the wedding as her plus one.
A huge storm threatens the island, and a string of strange occurrences mimicking Loretta’s last case, have Jake and Kate questioning everything. Can she help solve a real life mystery or is her skill only make believe?
Poor Kate is so out of her depth. But she tries hard and means well.
A locked room, murder mystery romcom. Entertaining in its strange half clues and piecemeal reveals, as Jake professes his love and Kate is still thinking, WWLD.
Started and ended well. I needed a little perking up on the middle.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
3.5
March 31, 2025
When mystery writer Kate Valentine attends the high-end wedding of her ex-fiancé and editor on a private island, she doesn’t expect to be involved in a situation that bears an eerie similarity to one of her novels. She also doesn’t expect to be reunited with the adventurous Jake Hawkins, former subject of her biographical writing and the source of massive romantic regret.
She Doesn’t Have A Clue is a combination of murder-mystery and rom-com, with a decent amount of unpleasant potential suspects, amiable female and male main characters, a dash of witty banter and silliness and attempts at a wedding where everything seems to go wrong.
Due in part to murder.
Kate and Jake bounce off one another fairly well as romantic interests, with the customary flirting, forced proximity due to him being incorrectly labeled as her plus-one guest and even the typical miscommunications that lead to a bit of heartache.
The mystery aspect of the novel maintained my interest and while the wealthy guests/suspects were given ample motivations, I felt as though I was waiting for Kate to catch up to what was truly happening, despite her career as a mystery writer and her habit of imagining what her literary alter-ego Loretta Starling would do. The overall pacing of the story was also slightly slower than I personally preferred.
Narrator Sarah Mollo-Christensen does an excellent job of portraying the characters. Her switches from the lighter and goofier moments to the more emotional ones are also well-done.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
She Doesn’t Have A Clue is a combination of murder-mystery and rom-com, with a decent amount of unpleasant potential suspects, amiable female and male main characters, a dash of witty banter and silliness and attempts at a wedding where everything seems to go wrong.
Due in part to murder.
Kate and Jake bounce off one another fairly well as romantic interests, with the customary flirting, forced proximity due to him being incorrectly labeled as her plus-one guest and even the typical miscommunications that lead to a bit of heartache.
The mystery aspect of the novel maintained my interest and while the wealthy guests/suspects were given ample motivations, I felt as though I was waiting for Kate to catch up to what was truly happening, despite her career as a mystery writer and her habit of imagining what her literary alter-ego Loretta Starling would do. The overall pacing of the story was also slightly slower than I personally preferred.
Narrator Sarah Mollo-Christensen does an excellent job of portraying the characters. Her switches from the lighter and goofier moments to the more emotional ones are also well-done.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
February 9, 2025
✦ ✦ ✦ ✧ ✧
✧₊⁺ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ overview ⁺₊ ✧
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
This whole book had this whimsical cozy mystery vibe, and I ate it up. The characters were so charming and awkward and amazing I just- I would inject myself with the energy in this book, if you know what I mean. she doesn’t have a clue is a mystery romance (!!) set at the FMC’s ex’s wedding. yup, there are a LOT of tropes in this book. upon arriving at the island, her rooming arrangements just happen to be with her other ex, the hot austrailain blonde surfer dude. and then there’s a dead body, and snooping, and drugging people, so yeah, I loved that too.
overall, the vibe was almost a knives out - glass onion type thing with more romance and less thriller, and no onions.
✧₊⁺ relationships ~ so, hot austrailian surfer dude, also known as jake, and our FMC, kate, are so funny together. Like the stuff that comes out of their mouths is just comedic perfection. There are some lingering feelings and some skeletons in their closets to deal with, but overall they were just fun, and romantic, and cute.
✧₊⁺ plot ~ if you read my reviews, you know that books being predictable is a big no go for me. i will admit that I definitely had my suspicions from the beginning, but my guesses were also all over the place, so the author did pretty good in this category. I don’t want to say toooo much more on the plot, but yeah!
OH- also there are times in this book where the book is written in “what would Loretta do” format (background info- Loretta is the FMC in Kate’s murder mystery series), which I thought was really cool.
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ ex’s wedding
🂡 cozy murder mystery
❥ hot austrailian surfer ex dude
🂡 rom com
❥ books about books (author)
🂡 fake dating
❥ forced proximity
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
♬⋆.˚ now playing - cowboy like me ~ taylor swift
❝ and the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to f*ck this up ❞
~~~~
physically?
i am wandering around target looking for onyx storm.
mentally?
i am thinking about my blonde australian surfer dude from this book.
~~~~~
✧₊⁺ preread ~
got this arc the day it’s being released lmao
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc 🖤
✧₊⁺ thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ overview ⁺₊ ✧
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
This whole book had this whimsical cozy mystery vibe, and I ate it up. The characters were so charming and awkward and amazing I just- I would inject myself with the energy in this book, if you know what I mean. she doesn’t have a clue is a mystery romance (!!) set at the FMC’s ex’s wedding. yup, there are a LOT of tropes in this book. upon arriving at the island, her rooming arrangements just happen to be with her other ex, the hot austrailain blonde surfer dude. and then there’s a dead body, and snooping, and drugging people, so yeah, I loved that too.
overall, the vibe was almost a knives out - glass onion type thing with more romance and less thriller, and no onions.
✧₊⁺ relationships ~ so, hot austrailian surfer dude, also known as jake, and our FMC, kate, are so funny together. Like the stuff that comes out of their mouths is just comedic perfection. There are some lingering feelings and some skeletons in their closets to deal with, but overall they were just fun, and romantic, and cute.
✧₊⁺ plot ~ if you read my reviews, you know that books being predictable is a big no go for me. i will admit that I definitely had my suspicions from the beginning, but my guesses were also all over the place, so the author did pretty good in this category. I don’t want to say toooo much more on the plot, but yeah!
OH- also there are times in this book where the book is written in “what would Loretta do” format (background info- Loretta is the FMC in Kate’s murder mystery series), which I thought was really cool.
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
✧₊⁺ features ~
❥ ex’s wedding
🂡 cozy murder mystery
❥ hot austrailian surfer ex dude
🂡 rom com
❥ books about books (author)
🂡 fake dating
❥ forced proximity
──────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ────────
♬⋆.˚ now playing - cowboy like me ~ taylor swift
❝ and the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to f*ck this up ❞
~~~~
physically?
i am wandering around target looking for onyx storm.
mentally?
i am thinking about my blonde australian surfer dude from this book.
~~~~~
✧₊⁺ preread ~
got this arc the day it’s being released lmao
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc 🖤
April 3, 2025
More like she doesn’t have a clue as to what the point of this book was. Somehow, someway, the book was worse than Deep End…
I couldn’t give less of a fuck about this book if I wanted to. I thought it would be more mystery than romance (it was), but the mystery was executed so poorly and the writing was so utterly atrocious that I just didn’t care how it ended. Too many plot points kept popping up that I felt even the author was losing track of. It got to the point where I was just hoping everyone would die or that Kate was framed and convicted for the murder. I just didn’t give a fuck. The “humor” was extremely forced and made my skin crawl. It’s when an adult tries to be relatable and funny. I didn’t even understand Kate and Jake’s relationship because it was never fleshed out. Apparently they had history but you don’t know what that is until well into the final third of the book.
Kate was trying to solve a murder that was eerily similar to the plot of one of her books, but what she should’ve been trying to solve was the nowhere plot with dull characters that elicit the same excitement as watching paint dry.
When Jake said to Kate, “I could tell they’d have weight,” referring to her boobs, that was the only thing in the book that made me laugh out loud. We all only have one life. Don’t waste a single second of it reading this god awful book.
I couldn’t give less of a fuck about this book if I wanted to. I thought it would be more mystery than romance (it was), but the mystery was executed so poorly and the writing was so utterly atrocious that I just didn’t care how it ended. Too many plot points kept popping up that I felt even the author was losing track of. It got to the point where I was just hoping everyone would die or that Kate was framed and convicted for the murder. I just didn’t give a fuck. The “humor” was extremely forced and made my skin crawl. It’s when an adult tries to be relatable and funny. I didn’t even understand Kate and Jake’s relationship because it was never fleshed out. Apparently they had history but you don’t know what that is until well into the final third of the book.
Kate was trying to solve a murder that was eerily similar to the plot of one of her books, but what she should’ve been trying to solve was the nowhere plot with dull characters that elicit the same excitement as watching paint dry.
When Jake said to Kate, “I could tell they’d have weight,” referring to her boobs, that was the only thing in the book that made me laugh out loud. We all only have one life. Don’t waste a single second of it reading this god awful book.
January 21, 2025
When I heard this was half romance, half mystery and took place at a destination wedding I knew I had to read it. These are three things that I love when it comes to books! Then you add in a spooky mansion, family drama, and a forced proximity setting with the one who got away you get this funny, clever genre mashup! All around I enjoyed reading this one. It reminded me of the cozy mysteries that I love with the bonus of an exceptional romance and some steam. The characters are fantastic, and I didn’t guess “who-dun-it” until it was revealed. What a fun treat. I hope the author continues to write more books like this, possibly even turning it into a series because I’ll keep reading them.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Mystery books
❥ Forced Proximity Romances
❥ Second Chances
❥ Some family drama
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗙𝗔𝗡𝗦 𝗢𝗙
❥ Mystery books
❥ Forced Proximity Romances
❥ Second Chances
❥ Some family drama
December 24, 2024
It just…wasn’t for me. It was…rather slow. If you haven’t noticed…I’m displaying a pattern. The main character…and also other characters…did a lot of talking…with these dots delays. It was excessive to the point of distraction. Don’t believe me? On one page there were 3 sentences of dialogue separated by “…”
Not every sentence spoken is some big reveal that requires a delay to get to the point. My god.
The story wasn’t intriguing, aside from that.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
Not every sentence spoken is some big reveal that requires a delay to get to the point. My god.
The story wasn’t intriguing, aside from that.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted ARC
January 24, 2025
DNF @ 12%
For the life of me, I could not get into this story. I think it was a writing or structure issue. While I thought that the book excerpts interwoven in the text was fun, they felt disruptive and it couldn't get in a rhythm with the story. The humor in the story was also great and made reading easy, but did make me feel distant from the characters.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
For the life of me, I could not get into this story. I think it was a writing or structure issue. While I thought that the book excerpts interwoven in the text was fun, they felt disruptive and it couldn't get in a rhythm with the story. The humor in the story was also great and made reading easy, but did make me feel distant from the characters.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2025
4.5 ⭐'s
This was adorable. So freaking cute. And I loved the mystery aspect too. I think I'm obsessed with the mystery/thriller romance genre.
This was perfect to get me out of my slump.
I felt Kate was a very relatable fmc, it was really easy to imagine myself as her.
Woof and Jake, I mean a hot blonde Australian ex-surfer? Yeah, I'm in.
It lost .5 because of Jake's tantrum and non-apology but overall this book was fantastic and who knows I might reread this one day.
This was adorable. So freaking cute. And I loved the mystery aspect too. I think I'm obsessed with the mystery/thriller romance genre.
This was perfect to get me out of my slump.
I felt Kate was a very relatable fmc, it was really easy to imagine myself as her.
Woof and Jake, I mean a hot blonde Australian ex-surfer? Yeah, I'm in.
It lost .5 because of Jake's tantrum and non-apology but overall this book was fantastic and who knows I might reread this one day.
February 13, 2025
This book was a complete disaster. The plot was nonsensical, the characters were flat and uninteresting, and the writing was painfully dull. I honestly can’t understand how this got published. It was a struggle to get through, and I regret wasting my time on it.
December 26, 2024
4.25 ⭐️
when kate- a very famous author gets an invite to her ex fiancé's wedding she can't refuse. On her journey to island where he's getting married she runs into her ex best friend who could have been more and she thinks what else could go wrong. after getting to island the bride is almost poisoned in the same way of one of her books and the finger is pointed at her. can she figure out who is the attempted murderer and what their motive is and save the wedding.
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!
when kate- a very famous author gets an invite to her ex fiancé's wedding she can't refuse. On her journey to island where he's getting married she runs into her ex best friend who could have been more and she thinks what else could go wrong. after getting to island the bride is almost poisoned in the same way of one of her books and the finger is pointed at her. can she figure out who is the attempted murderer and what their motive is and save the wedding.
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC!
February 19, 2025
I enjoyed parts of this mystery/rom-com, but Kate was kind of a mess. I was frustrated by her self-doubt and the way she’d let others treat her. I did like the romance, they had great chemistry and I'm a sucker for a second chance romance, but thought the encounter after the elevator/spiders was unbelievable. You feel like getting it on in right after/in the middle of all that? It was odd.
I did like the mystery aspects. Kate compiling motives and looking for clues. She picked up great details. I thought the plotting was good. However, Kate’s reaction after finding out who the killer was made me roll my eyes. Why would you put yourself in danger for that kind of person? It didn’t seem like a reasonable person would do that.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
I did like the mystery aspects. Kate compiling motives and looking for clues. She picked up great details. I thought the plotting was good. However, Kate’s reaction after finding out who the killer was made me roll my eyes. Why would you put yourself in danger for that kind of person? It didn’t seem like a reasonable person would do that.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy courtesy of the publisher. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
December 27, 2024
Not sure what type of novel She Doesn't Have a Clue is supposed to be. It came across as a mixed bag of rom-com and cozy mystery. The novel is part of a series, but can be read as a standalone. Thought I seem to think that the story within a story angle would have been more acceptable had I started and appreciated the first novel in the series.
It seems to me that the narrative struggled between rom-com and murder-mystery. With a heavy hand on the rom-com aspect. A bit off putting for me.
The characters are okay. It's just that I found the cutesy/corny name calling a bit annoying (i.e. Katey cakes.)
She Doesn't Have a Clue wasn' a novel for me and a DNF at 34% One star. I didn' like it.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my thoughts and opinions.
It seems to me that the narrative struggled between rom-com and murder-mystery. With a heavy hand on the rom-com aspect. A bit off putting for me.
The characters are okay. It's just that I found the cutesy/corny name calling a bit annoying (i.e. Katey cakes.)
She Doesn't Have a Clue wasn' a novel for me and a DNF at 34% One star. I didn' like it.
I was invited to read a DRC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley. This review is my own and reflects my thoughts and opinions.
May 30, 2025
4/5 ⭐I liked it a lot. The plot was awesome and so were the side characters, but is it possible JUST once that the fmc acts like a normal being and not a quirky caricature of a woman? I'm a little tired of it honestly. Also why are they always so clumsy? 🤦
January 21, 2025
Kate is an author who writes a Florida based Murder Mystery.
She's almost always lost in her stories and plotting away as she goes about her day.
At the moment she's on the way to her ex-fiancé's wedding on a private island off the coast of Seattle. The ex who is also her editor waiting for the next installment of her series.
Also on board of the boat to the island is her ex friend and crush - hot australian adventurer and ex surfer Jake.
Why he's invited to the wedding she has no clue.
Off we go to have a great wedding weekend.
Only the weather sucks big time and the first thing they encounter on the island is a dead animal. And then we have weird butlers and event planners and relatives and guests and a dead body or two? Yup. Great wedding so far. LOL.
I really enjoyed reading this!
I was first lured in by the cute cover and the blurb. And I really liked the story.
Kate is so adorably weird and sweet and crazy and Jake is just perfect for her. But of course he's a world traveling hot guy - he could never want forever ever after with her, right? So adorable.
And the rest of the wedding weekend is just as crazy. Who is the bad guy? Will we all survive this wedding?
Mysterious and funny and crazy and sexy and silly and creepy. Just my kind of book! READ IT!
📚📚📚
CLICK >HERE< TO BUY THE BOOK if you can’t click on the buy-links below!
💜
November 1, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
🌶️🌶️ 2/5
First, thank you to NetGalley and Jenny Elder Moke for allowing me to read this ARC early and share my honest thoughts with other readers.
This was such an interesting story, the perfect combination of wedding romcom and spooky mansion locked-door mystery. There are so many characters and yet the story never feels overwhelming trying to remember who is who and what their motives are. There are so many great red herring moments and epic plot twists!
The female main character starts out a bit whiny, and weird but in all fairness who wouldn't be when they have to attend their ex's wedding to someone else? It all comes together when you start to see her adorable quirks and self-confidence return along with a slow burn, enemies to lovers, second chance romance that is its own tangled web to unravel.
There are a few sizzling moments that slowly burn throughout the book which is perfectly balanced between the FMC and MMC dicovering and uncovering clues and secrets about the guests all around them. There is everything from gripping horror to family secrets to inheritance stealing to backstabbing... even a few love triangle moments!
This book truly has it all, it's a must read from me. The only reason it isn't 5 star is because it ended up being kind of slow and heavy about 20-40% in, but once I made it to the 50% point, I read it like a runaway train and could not stop!
Highly recommend!
🌶️🌶️ 2/5
First, thank you to NetGalley and Jenny Elder Moke for allowing me to read this ARC early and share my honest thoughts with other readers.
This was such an interesting story, the perfect combination of wedding romcom and spooky mansion locked-door mystery. There are so many characters and yet the story never feels overwhelming trying to remember who is who and what their motives are. There are so many great red herring moments and epic plot twists!
The female main character starts out a bit whiny, and weird but in all fairness who wouldn't be when they have to attend their ex's wedding to someone else? It all comes together when you start to see her adorable quirks and self-confidence return along with a slow burn, enemies to lovers, second chance romance that is its own tangled web to unravel.
There are a few sizzling moments that slowly burn throughout the book which is perfectly balanced between the FMC and MMC dicovering and uncovering clues and secrets about the guests all around them. There is everything from gripping horror to family secrets to inheritance stealing to backstabbing... even a few love triangle moments!
This book truly has it all, it's a must read from me. The only reason it isn't 5 star is because it ended up being kind of slow and heavy about 20-40% in, but once I made it to the 50% point, I read it like a runaway train and could not stop!
Highly recommend!
February 17, 2025
This was kinda hard to understand. Between the synopsis and the prologue, you really don't know what's going on or what the book is about. Turns out it is a Murder Mystery book. An author was mysteriously invited to her exe's elite wedding. She is a big-time author, and he is her publisher. Things start happening to the family to ruin the wedding and kill off the family entirely. The incidents are all excerpts from the author's book. The FMC, her situationship, and frenemy must work together to figure out what's going on before it's too late.
Loved the cover!
Romance:
So....... the romance gets hot and heavy out of nowhere, just drops on you. Suggested age would be 18+
Spice: 3 or 4 out of 5
Reaction:
Like I said before, it was hard to pin out what exactly the book was going to be about. It can be confusing. Also, there are a lot of points where you will question "Why?" and "What does this matter?" The author has really fluffy writing. The author continuously adds personal issues and wedding issues to where the reader loses focuses of what is happening.
Finally, this kinda seems like a knock off of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year . This author does spin it her own way but it's still really close to it.
Thanks to NG for the ARC and Audiobook!
Loved the cover!
Romance:
So....... the romance gets hot and heavy out of nowhere, just drops on you. Suggested age would be 18+
Spice: 3 or 4 out of 5
Reaction:
Like I said before, it was hard to pin out what exactly the book was going to be about. It can be confusing. Also, there are a lot of points where you will question "Why?" and "What does this matter?" The author has really fluffy writing. The author continuously adds personal issues and wedding issues to where the reader loses focuses of what is happening.
Finally, this kinda seems like a knock off of The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year . This author does spin it her own way but it's still really close to it.
Thanks to NG for the ARC and Audiobook!
Read
February 3, 2025Loved this. It was exactly what I was in the mood for, lots of fun, and worked for me as both a cozy mystery and a sexy rom-com. Hoping there's another one to come!
December 6, 2024
I won this arc book from a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Jenny Elder Moke for a copy!
I love romcom books and murder mysteries book, so when I saw that this book is a combo of both, I was super interested in it.
I really hoped to like this book. However, it was really hard for me to get into and to follow along with the story. The first half was pretty good, it sets up a lot of the plot and the character relationships and the whole premise. But the second half was a struggle to get through and was hard to follow along at some points. And once I got to the end of the book, I didn't quite feel satisfied with the outcome as much as I would like. I am happy there was character development for the FMC, but I felt it came too close to the end to really appreciate it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I am just not sure if it is my cup of tea for how the two genres mixed.
I love romcom books and murder mysteries book, so when I saw that this book is a combo of both, I was super interested in it.
I really hoped to like this book. However, it was really hard for me to get into and to follow along with the story. The first half was pretty good, it sets up a lot of the plot and the character relationships and the whole premise. But the second half was a struggle to get through and was hard to follow along at some points. And once I got to the end of the book, I didn't quite feel satisfied with the outcome as much as I would like. I am happy there was character development for the FMC, but I felt it came too close to the end to really appreciate it.
Overall, it was an okay read. I am just not sure if it is my cup of tea for how the two genres mixed.
January 18, 2025
In ‘She Doesn’t Have a Clue’ there is a lot going on right from the start. There is no easy introduction to the different characters, which I found really confusing since there was so much going on with the characters. The main character Kate is a bestselling mystery author, and right from the start we switch from Kate’s real life to Loretta’s world, one of Kate’s most popular characters. There’s also a confusing Australian ex boyfriend, and at the end of the story I still didn’t really get his character.
This was honestly a book I just couldn’t really get into. I didn’t love the characters, and I found myself not really enjoying this read. There where to many characters, and to many suspects.
I do really love the cover!
This was honestly a book I just couldn’t really get into. I didn’t love the characters, and I found myself not really enjoying this read. There where to many characters, and to many suspects.
I do really love the cover!
to-be-read-kindle-owned
January 21, 2025Giving this one a try. I've never read a book by her before. I need a lighthearted and funny read. I hope this one is good.
January 3, 2025
This really surprised me. It's being sold as a mystery with a romance and it really does deliver on both perfectly.
I enjoyed having a detective heroine who is really not a detective and honestly pretty bad at it. The mystery around who was trying to kill her ex's bride to be was interesting and fun. Also her romance with a former friend who she thinks she had ruined all chances with was great.
I left this just impressed at the blending of two genres and honestly keeping my on my toes for who committed the crime.
I enjoyed having a detective heroine who is really not a detective and honestly pretty bad at it. The mystery around who was trying to kill her ex's bride to be was interesting and fun. Also her romance with a former friend who she thinks she had ruined all chances with was great.
I left this just impressed at the blending of two genres and honestly keeping my on my toes for who committed the crime.
January 14, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
She Doesn't Have a Clue isn't going to be for everyone, but it was definitely for me. Jenny Elder Moke is a new to me author. I really enjoyed the main character, Kate and how messed up she was in a cute way. The murder mystery on an private Island during a wedding weekend was engaging and I had a hard time putting this book down.
Kate is a writer who spends a lot of time in her own head, or more accurately in the head of one of her characters from the mystery books she writes. It becomes even easier for her to get lost in that fantasy life when at the wedding of her former fiancé, on a historic private Island, one of the attendees turns up dead. Kate is off to try and solve the mystery, since someone seems to be using plots from her books for the murder. To add to the chaos, Jake (not Blake from her books) is also at the wedding and someone has put him as Kate's plus one. Kate may have harbored a huge crush on the adventurer she helped co-write books for, but does he also have those kinds of feelings for Kate?
This book has a few ridiculous moments, that I found hilarious, but humor is really subjective so this book is either going to really work for you or not. As various calamities plague the house, a storm also approaches and traps everyone one the Island in a house with intermittent power, at least one dead body and a so many taxidermized animals anyone might feel uncomfortable. There are also a long list of suspects who all have some kind of motive to kill.
I really liked Kate and her, I can be just like Jessica Fletcher and find the killer, attitude. With her can do attitude and slightly itchy thinking sweater she is off to solve the crime(s). The mystery of who is trying to possibly kill the bride and definitely killed another guest was interesting and fun with some false leads and twists. But the will they/won't they tension between Jake and Kate was what I was really into. While you are pretty sure they are meant to be, I enjoyed the journey and revelations along the way.
The mystery was fun, the humor was great and the romance was swoony. This book made me want to look into the authors catalog and see if there was anything else I could pick up.
Review copy was received from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
4.5 hearts
She Doesn't Have a Clue isn't going to be for everyone, but it was definitely for me. Jenny Elder Moke is a new to me author. I really enjoyed the main character, Kate and how messed up she was in a cute way. The murder mystery on an private Island during a wedding weekend was engaging and I had a hard time putting this book down.
Kate is a writer who spends a lot of time in her own head, or more accurately in the head of one of her characters from the mystery books she writes. It becomes even easier for her to get lost in that fantasy life when at the wedding of her former fiancé, on a historic private Island, one of the attendees turns up dead. Kate is off to try and solve the mystery, since someone seems to be using plots from her books for the murder. To add to the chaos, Jake (not Blake from her books) is also at the wedding and someone has put him as Kate's plus one. Kate may have harbored a huge crush on the adventurer she helped co-write books for, but does he also have those kinds of feelings for Kate?
This book has a few ridiculous moments, that I found hilarious, but humor is really subjective so this book is either going to really work for you or not. As various calamities plague the house, a storm also approaches and traps everyone one the Island in a house with intermittent power, at least one dead body and a so many taxidermized animals anyone might feel uncomfortable. There are also a long list of suspects who all have some kind of motive to kill.
"So, I’ve learned to embrace the chaos.”
“But I don’t want to embrace the chaos,” Kate said, shaking her head. “I want to . . . to organize the chaos.”
Jake chuckled. “It’s chaos, Kate. By its very definition, it can’t be organized.”
“Only because no one’s tried hard enough yet,” Kate said with grim determination.
I really liked Kate and her, I can be just like Jessica Fletcher and find the killer, attitude. With her can do attitude and slightly itchy thinking sweater she is off to solve the crime(s). The mystery of who is trying to possibly kill the bride and definitely killed another guest was interesting and fun with some false leads and twists. But the will they/won't they tension between Jake and Kate was what I was really into. While you are pretty sure they are meant to be, I enjoyed the journey and revelations along the way.
The mystery was fun, the humor was great and the romance was swoony. This book made me want to look into the authors catalog and see if there was anything else I could pick up.
“I’ve waited years for this,” he said, his breath warming the inner shell of her ear. “And I’m going to take my time. Every last minute of it, Kate. Until neither of us can stand up again.”
January 8, 2025
This was a really enjoyable romcom/mystery mashup! I enjoyed both the romantic buildup and backstory and the mystery. I really like this genre combination and am glad to see that more books are being published like this. (I made the mistake of reading it at the same time as The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year which is very similar and I got confused a few times, but I thoroughly enjoyed them both!)
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
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